Type storing and delivering apparatus



Sept. 1, 1931. j J. w. GEARHART TYPE STORING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Shet 1 A uwmw vi Sept; 1, 1931. J. w. GEARHART 1,821,631

TYPE $TQRING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 fi 4 lllliniM Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED :STATESQPATETN'I; OFFICE JOSEPH W. GEARHABT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS I positor.

TYPE STORING AN D DELIVERING APPARATUS Application filed. October 28, 1929. Serial No. 403,016.

acter of a font. The type bodies are thrown promiscuously into the spaces and the compositor must pick out an individual type body and, by sense of feeling, place it in proper position. Whenever type of a different font is required, the drawer carrying the tray then in use must be pushed back into the case and the drawer carrying the required font pulled out.

cording to the practice disclosed herein, I provide a serles of narrow, elongated, shallow trays of a width slightly greater than the length of the type and of a length suiiicient to carry an adequate reserve supply. These trays are arranged in superposed and sideby-side relation and in inclined position, with the lower ends of trays or chutes in such pos1-- tion and arrangement that they correspond substantially to the type box arrangement familiar to the typesetter. Thus a font of; type with a large reserve supply is carried in a relatively small space and the lower ends of the trays are always exposed.

A particular feature of novelty and utility is the lower end arrangement of'the trays, The construction is such that the type at the lower end are progressively displaced from their aligned position, the lowermost type body being displaced to an extent that en ables its being grasped on two sides at one end and removed by a longitudinal pull with.-

out interfering with the next'adjacenttype body. The row of type is constantly pushed downward by gravity and as one type body is removed, another takes its place. By this arrangement, the lower ends of the trays-are always exposed thus enabling the typesetter' An object of my invention is to eliminate -rnany of the motions heretofore requiredin setting type and to lessen the floor spacere-y quired for carrying a supply of type. Ac

to Work from any font without moving any. drawers.

Asa meansfor refilling the trays, I provide for longitudinal shifting of individual trays out of the normal operating position. This and other features will be more fully described hereafter. 7

The invention will be more fullyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a vertical elevation or face view of a storing and delivering apparatus arranged in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a pair of trays one of which has been lowered into the refilling position;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are enlargeddetailed views of the lower end construction of the trays or chutes, showing a series of type bodies therein.

In the drawings, I have illustrated apparatus in its simplest form. I have shown a frame 10 having cross pieces or supports 11 which may be of channel shape. The lower cross piece 12, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is provided with a key hole 13- for accommodating one or the other of the buttons or headed projections 1415 provided on the bottom surface of the trays 16. In Fig.2 the'trays are shown in, their normal operating position, in which position the buttons 14 are engaged in the openings 13 in the-support12. However-{when a tray is to be filled with type, it. is pushed backward slightly and lifted upward to disengage the button 14, and then allowed to slide down into the dotted line position of Fig.2 where the button 15 engages the opening. Other means than those shown may be provided for ac-: complishing this result. Preferably, the trays are arranged in closely adjacent sideby-side relation in order to occupy a mini- 'mum of space. They are spaced vertically sufiiciently to provide an opening at the lower endlarge enough to permit the typesetter to i the next two type bodies.

rality of type bodies for the same character in the font are cast, preferably in a monotype machine, and are delivered in a long package all in order. They are removed from the package, slid into a transfer tray (not shown) and taken to the stand. The upper end of the transfer tray is then brought into register with the lower end of the holding tray in its lowered position and'tl e bodies of type slid upward into place.

The lower or discharge end of the trays is. of importance the construction is best shown in Figsd to '7 inclusive. In these figures, it will be seen that the floor 17 of the tray at the lower end is given a generally helical bend; that is, one side is bent upwardly and inwardly and terminates in the two projections 18 that act as stops. The flange 16a on one side of the tray is terminated at a point where the bend in the floor is begun. The other flange 16?) is continued to the end, is enlarged insize and bent over to form the lip 19 that overlies the lower end of the type bodies at the point of discharge. Preferably, the

parts are so shaped that the type bodies, being rectangular in transverse cross section have line contact both \Vltll the floor and with the stops, thus reoucino' the frictional resist ance to removal. Preferably, also, the trays are slightly inclined. at least at their lower ends, so that the left hand portion viewed in Fig. at is somewhat lower than the right hand portion, thus insuring that the type bodies will always occupy the position shown in Fig. l; that is. the left hand side.

The incline of the floor 17 is preferably sufficient to cause the type bodies to assume an angular-position relative to each other to an extent that will expose substantial areas of two sides of the lowermost type body, and,

furthermore, to separate the said lowermost type bodies from the adicrent bodies to such an extent that the area of contact between the two is less than. the area of contact between Thus, due to the reduced area of contact the lowermost type body may be removed by straight longitudinal pull without displacing the next adjacenttype body. The weight of type in the tray will upon the removal of the lowermost type body, immediately move the whole supply downward and the next body will'occupy the same position as that of the one removed.

I have illustrated but one series of parts adapted to store but one font of type. It.

will however, be understood that numerous fonts of different sizes andstyles of type will be'carried in similar adj acentstacks, all readily available without any act of the typesetter to place" the type in position for use.

I have, as stated, illustrated the parts in their simplest form, and I do not wish to be limited, except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1 1. In means for storing a font of type, the combination of a narrow elongated tray for each character in the font, means for mounting the trays in inclined closely adjacent positions, means at the discharge end of each tray providing an upwardly curved floor, whereby the type in the tray are progressively displaced from aligned relation and the lowermost type body is projected into a position where substantial areas of its two sides at one end are exposed, and top and end stops at the lower end of the tray for confining the type against removal except by a straight pull longitudinally of the type body.

2. In type storing and delivering apparatus, the combination of a plurality of narrow type trays mounted in an inclined position and vertically spaced apart at their lower ends, and means at the discharge end of the trays for progressively displacing a plurality of the lower type bodies into gradually increasing' angular relation, whereby to expose a substantial part of two sides of the lowest type body, to permit it to be grasped by the fingers and removed by a pull longitudinal of the type body. 7

3. In means for storing a font of type, the combination of a narrow elongated tray for each character in .the font, means for mounting the trays in inclined closely adjacent positions, and'means at the lower end of each tray for preventing the type carried in the tray from falling out-and for progressively displacing a plurality of the lower type bodies into a position to enable the lowermost to begrasped on two sides and removed by a longitudinal pull.

l. Inmeans for storing a font of type, the combination of a narrow elongated tray for each character in the font, means for mounting the trays in inclined closely adjacent positions, means at the discharge end of each tray providing, an upwardly curved floor, whereby the lower type bodies in the tray are progressively displaced from aligned relation and the lowermost type, body is projected into a position where substantial areas of its two sides at one end are exposed, and stops ar 'anged to engage two sides of the lowest type body for preventingthe discharo'e of the type by gravity action.

5'. In means for storing type, the combination of a support, a plurality of type trays mounted in an inclined position and vertically and horizontally spaced apart, the tray being designed to permit the type bodies to' lie on their sides transversely of the tray, one side of the floor of the tray being bent upward at the discharge end whereby the type bodies are. transversely displaced into gradually increasing angular relation, and a stop to prevent the discharge of the type bodies by gravity. '7

6.. A type storing and delivering tray, comprising in combination a shallow elongated receptacle adapted to receive type bodies in a horizontal side by side relation, one side of the floor of the tray at one end being bent upward, whereby the lower typebodies are progressively displaced toward a vertical position, and a stop for preventing discharge of the type bodies by gravity when the tray is placed in an inclined position.

7. A type storing and delivering tray, comprising in combination a shallow elongated receptacle, the transverse width of the space within the receptacle being somewhat greater than the length of the type to be received therein, whereby the tray is adapted to receive a plurality of type bodies in horizontal side by side relation, the floor of the tray at one end being helically curved Whereby the lower type bodies are progressively displaced from their horizontal side by side relation into a gradually increasing angular relation, the lowermost type body occupying a partially vertical position with substantial areas at two sides exposed, adapting it to be grasped by the fingers for removal, and a stop for preventing discharge of the type bodies by gravity when the receptacle isv placed in an inclined position.

8. In combination, a support and a plurality of shallow type trays arranged in vertically and horizontally spaced relation, means associated with the trays for progressively displacing type bodies into gradually increasing angular relation, and means adapting individual trays to he slid outward from their operating position into position adapting them to receive a new supply of type.

9. In'combination, a support, a plurality of shallow trays arranged in inclined position and in vertically spaced relation, the trays being adapted to receive type bodies in flat, horizontal, side by side relation, means on the floor of the trays for progressively displacing the lower type bodies into gradually increasing angular relation by gravity action, and means permitting individual trays to be slid out of operative position to receive a new supply of type.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

JOSEPH .W. GEARHART. 

